As you know, Vermont is my home and Okemo Mountain Resort is my home mountain. This winter has been a particularly odd season with very little snow. So I took the opportunity to have my knee repaired over the Christmas Holidays and threw myself into physical therapy following surgery. Thanks to Dr. Michael Cushner and his team at WestMed for putting my knee back together again! Thanks also, to Scott and his team at Eastside Sports Physical Therapy in New York City for motivating me to keep my goal alive and work through the pain!
I’m happy to report that after four weeks of Physical Therapy, I was cleared to ski this past weekend! In an effort to evaluate how I will do on my trip to Chamonix in February – and not with out a little apprehension – I geared up and headed to the base for a few turns on the beginner slope. Walking in my ski boots gave me the greatest pain pre-surgery so imagine my joy when I began to walk pain free! My fears were quickly dissipating as I made my way to the chair.
It is amazing how one slow chairlift ride to the top of the beginner slope is all it takes to get my passion for skiing fully flowing! To feel the light wind in my face, to hear the swishing of those beginner skiers on the slopes below me – well, I was rejuvenated! I was ready just as if I was taking my first trip down the mountain at 16! As I got off that lift – a little hesitancy as I applied some weight bearing pressure – but no pain! After a few turns on the beginner slope I quickly realized I needed to challenge myself and my knee to the skiing I most enjoy – steeps and speed.
Up another lift to ski Ledges! It was awesome! And I realized that my knee was ready to go anywhere – and so was I!
The next leg of my adventure on my list of “Ski sixty for sixty” begins February 4th when I’ll board a Swissair jet at JFK bound for Geneva! I may not get to ski all the locations I had hoped to before surgery, but no regrets and no sadness because only four weeks after knee surgery I will ski Chamonix France, into Italy and Switzerland all in one trip! Now that is an amazing feat and vacation!
Watch for pictures next month from my fabulous trip. Thanks to Jim Garvey and Alphorn Tours for what I know will be another great ski trip to add to my list!